The even bigger question is whether eggs donated by female researchers were used as well. The Helsinki Declaration 1964 and international regulations on clinical testing ethics established in 1996 recommend the exclusion of people like students and researchers who are unable to refuse to agree to participation from inclusion in experiments. Anyone involved in that kind of research is going to know about the ethical guidelines, and yet it is being learned that Hwang's research team used eggs donated by members of that team. If really true, international norms were violated. Since there were allegations about the source of the eggs printed in the magazine Nature last year the team has continued to deny them. The life of clinical research depends on the "honesty of research," and now even that is being called into question.
Research that deals with human life cannot make progress without the understanding of regular citizens. The only way to win their understanding is with the truth. That is why the more a research project has landmark-ramifications, the more it is held to strict ethical controls. Hwang has achieved landmark achievements while seeking ways to conquer incurable diseases. His achievements give hope to people with incurable diseases, even now, despite the ethical controversy. A burning desire to see progress in that area is why on Monday members of various sectors of society came together to form a private foundation to encourage egg donation.
At the moment, even as allegations about ethics are being revealed as having been based in fact, what is important is honesty and the truth. Professor Hwang needs to explain why the situation has come to this, why he has not made any detailed announcement so far, and whether there has been any attempt to cover up the truth. We hope that it is the truth through which all the questions at hand are resolved and overcome.
The Hankyoreh, 22 November 2005.
[Translations by Seoul Selection].
